The first step to achieving success and happiness in our lives is to decide exactly what we want. If we are not totally clear about what we actually want it is impossible to make plans and take action to achieve it.

It is also vital to know WHY we want whatever it is we want, because it's our 'whys' that determine the strength of our desire, and our ultimate success in achieving our goals. Without a big enough 'why' our chances of success in reaching any goal are greatly reduced.

For example, say you have decided you want to save or raise $10,000 in the next six months for no reason in particular, expect perhaps that you are lousy at saving and you want to develop that ability.

Compare that to the 'why' of parents who needs $10,000 within six months for a life saving operation for their only child? Which of these two 'whys' is most likely to evoke the overwhelming desire and iron-willed determination to take the actions necessary for success?

This is not to suggest that goals will only be achieved if they are for altruistic reasons. We can achieve any honest goal we set for ourselves if we have big enough reasons to achieve it.

The more reasons we have and the more passionate we feel about our 'whys', the more they will inspire and motivate us. We must have important and meaningful reasons for wanting our goals. We must also regularly spend time visualising our goals as already achieved and feeling how this will make us feel.

It's important to remember that every goal or desire that you ever have will also have a price attached to its achievement. If you have big enough 'whys' you will pay the price without hesitation. However, without compelling and important 'whys' you may not ultimately be prepared to do what it takes to achieve success.

Our 'whys' are effectively the foundations that support our goals and give us the solid base from which to take the necessary actions. They give us the determination to keep working towards our goals no matter what. They give us the strength to bounce back from adversity and to overcome any obstacles we encounter.

The least important part is actually the 'how'. When we decide what we want, and our reasons for wanting it are strong and inspirational to us, and we fully expect to succeed, the 'how' will come to us. Our conscious and subconscious minds will focus on our goals and how to achieve them, and what we spend most of our time thinking about we will inevitably attract into our lives.

This will allow us to make the plans and take the actions that will culminate in us reaching our goals. We will also become connected to the abundance of the universe. We will often be assisted by unexpected events and opportunities, or meet people that can help us.

This doesn't mean we will reach our goals with little effort on our part - there's no doubt hard work and taking action are a critical part of the process. However, when we have a big enough 'whys' to focus on, and visualise and think about how great it will feel when we achieve our goals, it often won't really feel like hard work.

If this sounds fanciful and too simple to be true, there are many books, audio programs, dvds etc that explain the process in more detail and provide tools that will help us to harness these powers.

The important thing to know is that in does work - with compelling enough 'whys' and total belief that we will succeed, almost anything really is possible.

"You can have anything you want if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, do anything you set out to accomplish if you hold to that desire with singleness of purpose." - Abraham Lincoln